Elevated cableway for observation of nature

ABSTRACT

A fixed, elevated cableway having a plurality of intermediate supports for transport of persons for nature observation is described. One or more self-powered trolleys may travel simultaneously on a common cable span between two intermediate supports. Intermediate supports may join separate cable spans and/or allow tight turns. The trolley possesses one or more speed-governing devices, locks to the support cable and to intermediate supports. Combined features produce a slow-speed elevated cableway having minimal impact on the environment while providing improved installation flexibility for the purpose of nature observation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

My related (and copending) Provisional Patent Application No. 60/008,199 was filed on Dec. 19, 2007. That filing date is claimed for this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

PATENTS CITED   535,703 Mar. 12, 1895 Lamb   830,491 Sep. 11, 1906 Bozzalla 1,003,950 Sep. 19, 1911 Rosada 1,076,337 Oct. 21, 1913 Vogel and Taitt 1,313,358 Aug. 19, 1919 Watkins 2,630,074 Mar. 3, 1953 Grabinski 3,498,236 Mar. 3, 1970 Meek 4,062,293 Dec. 13, 1977 Davis 4,159,113 Jun. 26, 1979 Callecod 4,257,494 Mar. 24, 1981 Frankel 4,359,946 Nov. 23, 1982 Marvin 4,492,168 Jan. 8, 1985 Cellai 5,199,580 Apr. 6, 1993 Bankier 5,224,425 Jul. 6, 1993, Remington 6,360,669 Mar. 26, 2002 Albrich

LITERATURE CITED

Perry, D. R. An arboreal naturalist explores the rain forest's mysterious canopy. Smithsonian Magazine, June 1980:42-52.

Perry, D. R. The Canopy of the Tropical Rain Forest. Scientific American, November 1984:138-147.

Perry, D. R. The Rain forest Aerial Tram and Trails. Project Description; Newton, Massachusetts 1991.

Anderson, Ryan. Human-Powered Vehicle for Stationary Overhead Rail or High-Tension Cable. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nature observation is becoming a larger component of the worldwide tourism industry. This increased numbers of nature oriented tourists can negatively impact the environment. Foot traffic causes erosion; vehicles, such as air-boats and land rovers, are typically noisy and disturb wildlife; and various cableway systems for thrill seekers are not suited for nature observation and may cause negative impacts on natural communities. My tramway is quiet, slow paced, and has minimal negative environmental impact. It is an improved design over existing cableways for serving the eco-tourism industry, seniors and the general public.

Access to nature often is limited to ambulatory individuals. While parks and reserves may have trails that conform to the American Disabilities Act, these trails are few in number compared to non-ADA accessible trails. Loopholes in the ADA accessibility guidelines allow public parks to not upgrade trail systems when these improvements damage habitat and/or are cost prohibitive. The applicant's tramway has less negative impact to the natural environment than an ADA accessible trail, is less costly, and provides better access to nature than do trails. The applicant's tramway offers park engineers, administrators and designers a versatile ADA solution to improved accessibility to natural habitats.

Various types of cableways are increasingly in use to carry visitors into nature, most often forested areas. This activity is a growing market of the nature tourism industry. Following the publications of Perry (1980, 1984) a simple cableway known as a zip-line, a type of fixed, elevated cableway, has grown in popularity in ecotourism. In 1991 I introduced the first ski-lift cableway that provides access and observation of the rain forest canopy to the physically challenged and general public. Such installations are increasing in number.

At this time no elevated cableway used in the ecotourism industry has been specifically designed for nature observation. Zip-lines are high speed and do not permit close observation of nature. Zip-lines rely on gravity for power limiting their application to areas of steep terrain. Ski-lift cableways have negative impact on natural habitats because forest must be cleared away from the tramway negatively removing the habitat the nature tourist seeks to observe. Neither ski-lifts nor zip-lines nor other fixed elevated cableways allow the passenger(s) to stop the trolley to observe nature.

Callecod 1979 and Davis 1977 patented a playground zip-line ride that provide human transport along fixed, elevated cableways. The child hangs suspended by hand from handles of the trolley and rolls down an inclined cable. This basic system is used in eco-tourism and is sometimes called a “canopy tour”. Canopy tours are often staged dozens of feet off the ground and the passenger is suspended in a harness, reducing the danger of a fall. As with playground recreation cableways these zip-line rides were designed for high speed and thrill, not slow-paced nature observation.

For reasons of safety, only a single trolley (harness, chair, cabin) per cable span is permitted on a zip-line cableway. However, nature tourism often takes place in groups where a guide provides nature interpretation. If multiple trolleys were used on either the Callecod (1979) or the Davis (1977) cableways trolleys would collide, which could lead to serious injury. This danger is exacerbated by the higher speeds designed into the Albrich (2002), Remington (1993), and

Marvin (1982) systems. A stuck or stopped trolley on these would become a deadly obstacle for passengers descending at high-speeds. Additionally; animals may be disturbed or frightened away by high-speed movement; high speed limits the ability to observe nature and wildlife; and high speed makes the use of nature-tourism essentials—i.e. cameras and binoculars—difficult or impossible. Therefore the designs of existing downhill cable and railway rides do not address the needs of nature observation.

A search of the existing literature has produced no prior art where a fixed elevated cableway has been designed with the features needed for slow paced nature observation, which often takes place in groups. A search of the existing literature has produced no prior art where a fixed elevated cableway allows multiple trolleys, groups of trolleys, on a single span. Nor has a search of the existing literature produced prior art and/or patents where suspended trolleys for human transport are equipped with an automatic speed-limiting mechanism(s) to guard against collisions and provide for stopping.

Whereas all existing fixed elevated cable and railways are designed for high speed the applicant's cableway is designed for slow speed. Combined with automatic speed-limiting devices, this allows multiple trolleys to use the same cable span simultaneously. One such device, a centrifugal brake, has proven effective in applications where objects must be lowered slowly, such as life boats on ships. Frankel (1981) patented the use of a centrifugal brake to stop elevators and cable cars in emergencies. However, centrifugal brakes have not been used to govern the speed of trolleys on fixed elevated cableways. Other speed limiting devices include an electric brake, and hand brake. Use of one or more speed limiting devices by the applicant's trolley allows one or more trolleys to move safely along a single cable span to minimizing collisions and to provide stops for observation.

The Callecod (1979) playground ride highlights an additional limitation of zip-line cableways. The trolley has to be manually disconnected and then reconnected to each successive cable span. Zip-lines commonly employed for adventure rides in nature are composed of two or more cable spans (sometimes ten or more spans) where the pulley with its suspended passenger is sequentially detached and then connected to the next span. Guides oversee the transfer from cable to cable, which usually takes place on platforms built high above ground. Typically, these platforms are designed to hold the weight of ten or more people. Since passengers my fall from platforms during transfer, multiple transfer stations introduce additional safety issues, as well as expense to construction, maintenance, and operations. Eliminating transfers at intermediate supports improves safety.

Albrich (2002), Anderson (1999) and Marvin (1982) systems allow the smooth passage of a trolley over an intermediate support to each successive cable span. But these cableways differ from the applicant's cableway in that the Albrich and Marvin cableways are railways supported by a support cable. The applicant's system, like Anderson's, is an elevated cableway not an elevated railway. While the Albrich cableway has an inductive device to inhibit excessive speed, neither it or the Marvin trolley have automatic or manually operated brakes that allow a trolley to come to a complete stop on the cableway. Nor do these cableways have the same design features. As a result these high speed systems permit but a single trolley on the system at a given time, whereas the applicant's slow-paced cableway allows a multiplicity of trolleys at one time, an essential design requirement for nature observation.

The Albrich, Marvin and Anderson cableways are linear systems—they do not form a closed loop whereupon the trolley returns directly to its start position. (Ski-lifts form closed loops but these are not fixed elevated cableways.) The Albrich and Marvin systems require that the trolleys must be returned by some means back to the start station. The applicant's system has the design versatility to be linear like the above systems or more significantly to form a closed loop where trolleys ride the cableway back to the start position without leaving the cableway.

It should be stated that Marvin (1982) claims to be both a cableway and a monorail, but the Marvin patent diagram, description, and art depict only a monorail. No aspect of the design describes a cableway. Further someone knowledgeable in the art of manufacture of cableways would find it impossible to manufacture a Marvin monorail.

The trolleys of the Albrich (2002) and Marvin (1982) elevated railways cannot travel uphill. In fact these systems utilize steep slopes to power their downhill rides. The applicant's cableway is designed to travel uphill and to access various topographies.

The capacity to make tight turns is a desirable design feature for a nature-observation tramway. The Albrich (2002), Anderson (1999) and Marvin (1982) intermediate supports do not make tight turns. All make broad sweeping turns. The Anderson intermediate supports are straight and do not allow turns.

The Vogel and Taitt (1913) intermediate support produces a turn, but only a wide turn, not a tight turn. The applicant's intermediate support is a novel advancement over the Vogel and Taitt intermediate support both in providing for tight turns and greater control of tensile forces of the cableway. Grabinski (1953) patented an intermediate support for joining two cables to make a single span for elevated cableways. However, the applicant's intermediate support joins two separate support cable spans and these remain separate spans as after passing through the support the cable (wr) may end at a ground or other anchor (FIGS. 4,5 & 14).

A search of prior art and patents found no fixed, elevated cableway system where trolleys can pass over intermediate supports and those trolleys lock to the cable and intermittent supports. Anderson banana tramway (1999) does not lock to the cable or intermittent supports. Also that tramway lacks an automatic speed-governing device, and lacks an intermediate support that allows tight turns. Further the Anderson peddled trolley was designed for high speed travel not nature observation and it is not ADA accessible.

Government regulation mandates ADA accessibility when new constructions are built for the public. A cableway that satisfies that mandate must have a trolley that is self powered. The applicant found no prior art or fixed, elevated cableway where powered trolleys for human transport can pass over intermediate supports. Cellai (1985), Bozzalla (1906), Watkins (1919), Meek (1970) and others had powered trolleys that travel on a single cable span, but these trolleys cannot pass over intermediate supports. Lamb (1895) patented an electrically powered trolley that required an associated power cable, however the cableway did not allow tight turns, lacked trolley locks to the cable and intermediate supports, did not allow multiple trolleys on the same span, did not form a loop, and human transport was not anticipated. The Anderson banana-tram trolleys are human powered therefore not ADA accessible.

The applicant's tramway embodies the designs necessary to maximize the ecotourism experience, ADA accessibility, and minimum impact to nature. These features include but are not limited to speed control devices, a trolley that locks to the support cable and intermediate supports, tight turns at intermediate supports, intermediate supports that join two separate cable spans, multiple trolleys per span, slow speed, self-powered trolleys, intermediate supports that can attach to trees, and an ability to access various topographies. No existing tramway for human transport or not combines the features needed for the greatest access to nature observation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide the physically challenged and the general public with a cableway that has one or more independently operated trolleys that are securely connected to one or more support cables. The system provides access to many types of terrain, including flat, rolling, hilly, canyons, forested (FIG. 1) or not, wetlands or not, and in any combination.

The applicant's trolley may possesses one or more speed-limiting devices and/or automatic braking systems, such as, but not limited to, a centrifugal brake (FIGS. 7 & 8, cb). Braking systems allow one or more trolleys to use the cableway at the same time. Simultaneous use of the same cable span by multiple trolleys is not found in any fixed elevated cableway. With the exception of a gravity-powered embodiment of the applicant's trolley (if the slope is gradual trolleys can descend safely at modest speeds without needing a speed limiting device), powered trolleys will have an operator-controlled brake (hb) for making full stops to allow close observation of flora and fauna. Trolleys (FIGS. 7 & 8) lock to the cable (Ro) and intermediate supports (psl, atl, & FIG. 9) at all times during operation.

The applicant's intermediate supports (FIGS. 4, 5. 14) can join two cables into a single cableway. Each span may have its own anchor to the ground (5,grd), trees, or other structures. This increases strength while increasing overall stability of the cableway and reduces wear of the support cable (wr). Also, it is simpler to install shorter cable segments instead of a single cable that otherwise may be a mile or more in length. A search of prior art and patents did not produce a similar intermediate-support design that connects two independent cables to make a single span while adding stability to the cableway.

A preferred use of the cableway would allow two or more trolleys along the cableway as a group, of course it would still be possible for a single trolley to use the cableway. A guide trolley with a guide would point out interesting aspects of natural history and would radio the location to other guides. Other guide duties would include ensuring that trolleys are kept moving on schedule, and maintaining safe distances between groups. Electronic control of the distribution of trolleys could also be accomplished.

Some embodiments of the applicant's trolley may possess pedal power (FIG. 3) either as primary or backup propulsion. The electric motor (FIG. 12, em) is the preferred drive mechanism for ADA accessibility and ecotourism since it is quiet, although internal combustion engines in some embodiments will also serve. The electric motor also has the advantage of being non polluting and can act as a speed-limiting device through regenerative braking that restores energy to batteries. The preferred embodiment (FIG. 12) has an electric brake (eb) connected directly to the electric motor (em). This brake stops the trolley automatically when the throttle is released and holds the trolley in position on the support cable. (The preferred embodiment would also have a centrifugal brake (cb) in case of failure of the drive mechanism. ) An automatic brake system is widely used in personal mobility vehicles. The preferred trolley would use a motor, brake, and transmission (tr) unit manufactured for one of these vehicles.

Other anticipated uses include a linear system (and/or one or more loops) where the trolley travels back and forth over a given distance over one or more intermediate supports. These may be pedaled and or motor powered.

Anticipated uses of the invention and/or features of the invention include:

-   1. A cableway for one or more trolleys used as mobile hunting     platforms. This system would be useful in scientific research of     forest communities. -   2. A child-recreation structure having one or more intermediate     supports, with or without an associated treehouse, where the     trolleys lock to the supports and cable, powered by gravity and/or     electric motor and/or a fueled engine and/or human pedaling either     individually or as a group. -   3. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway and trolleys where the     trolleys can lift objects and move them to other locations. -   4. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway and trolleys where the     trolleys are used for film making. -   5. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway and trolleys where the     trolley is used as an escape device for exiting high structures     where the trolley possesses at least one centrifugal brake,     regardless of the nature of the supports, potential safety devices,     and means of returning the trolleys back to the high end of the     cable. Such structures include offshore oil platforms, buildings,     cliffs, balloons and the like. -   6. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway and trolleys where     movement and spacing of the trolleys are regulated automatically by     electronic sensors contained in the trolleys. These sensors start     and stop the trolley to maintain preferred distances between the     trolley and to keep trolleys moving at an acceptable average speed. -   7. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway and trolleys where a     control center maintains radio contact with the trolleys visually     and by voice. -   8. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway where a control center     electronically governs the exact speed and spacing of the trolleys     to govern trolley movement. -   9. An embodiment of the applicant's cableway that has a system     whereby the trolleys can transfer to another series of cable spans.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1: a schematic, panoramic, perspective view of an undulating, forested habitat where the elevated cableway is attached to trees. Two loops are joined by a single span.

FIG. 2: a side elevation of a simplified boarding station showing two methods of suspending passengers, one in a wheel chair, the other in a harness.

FIG. 3: front elevation view of a pedaled, two-person trolley passing over an intermediate support depicting a cross-section of the rail lock mechanism.

FIG. 4: plan view of an intermediate support showing attachment to tree trunk, chain supports, cable (wr) passing through the curved support (cs) to ground anchor. The sharp turn in the support rail is shown as well as the extension of the rail (go) that opens the gate on the cable lock allowing the trolley to move onto the rail.

FIG. 5: elevation view of intermediate support showing the cable passing through the curved support (cs), the rail lock channel (ch), and a vertically curved support rail (r).

FIG. 6: perspective view of an intermediate support that does not possess adjustable arms showing the lock channel (ch) and rail providing a turn.

FIG. 7: top view of two wheel trolley.

FIG. 8: side view of two wheel trolley.

FIG. 9: sectional rear view of an intermediate support channel and anterior trolley-locking mechanism.

FIG. 10: rear view of the Rosada-like locking mechanism (Ro) with rail (r) holding the locking gate (g) open. Detail of pin inserted into support cable as means of attachment to the rail.

FIG. 11: side view of Rosada-like locking mechanism.

FIG. 12: side and top views of a single wheel trolley with drive train from a mobility scooter.

FIG. 13: Top, side, and crossectional view of curved cable support (cs), rail (r) and cable (wr). The cable bends down and travels through a hole to attach to an anchor cable.

FIG. 14: Plan view of an adjustable intermediate support. The adjustable arms (aa) open and close allowing for greater or lesser degree turns in the support rail (r).

FIG. 15: side view of support cable sheave (sh) of the adjustable intermediate support. Cable (wr) is locked to intermediate support with a bracket (cl). The sheave reduces wear on the support cable. The angle of the sheave is adjustable.

Component List

-   wr—wire rope or support cable -   cs—curved support -   go—gate opening extension of the rail -   r—rail -   ch—roof over rail forms a locking channel -   is—intermediate support -   h—hole in rail -   pin—pin inserted in wire rope holds rope to rail -   n—nut

Trolley Parts

-   dw—drive wheel -   eb—electric brake -   hb—hand brake -   Ro—Rosada-like cable lock -   atl—anterior rail lock that fits in the roof channel of the     intermediate support -   t—trolley -   g—gate of Rosada-like cable lock -   psl—posterior rail lock that fits in the roof channel of the     intermediate support -   cw—castor type wheel -   csa—castor wheel support arm -   dh—double hinge mechanism -   cd—chain drive -   em—electric motor -   tr—transmission -   ax—axle -   ps—chain sprocket -   spr—sprocket -   cb—centrifugal brake -   sh—sheave -   h—hole -   aa—adjustible arm -   ash—adjustible sheave bracket -   bb—battery box -   cc—cable catch -   chr—chair and battery box support -   sp—suspension point -   ped—pedals

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The cableway is placed in any desirable natural area (FIG. 1), including but not limited to more or less flat areas, hills, ravines, steep slopes, over or into valleys mountains, and along cliffs, to provide nature observation and as it may happen, scenic overviews. Access to any terrestrial habitat is envisioned including, but not limited to, estuaries, streams, rivers, forests, swamps and the like. Of course it is specifically understood that the applicant's cableway can simply be used as a transport of humans, and/or materials, and/or products as well as other uses where nature observation is not intended.

The preferred cableway may use trees as primary supports (FIG. 1). In some cases, such as in wetland and grassy areas devoid of trees or where use of trees is prohibited, the intermediate supports (FIGS. 9, 5, 6) will be modified in conventional ways and attached directly to posts, towers, pylons, buildings, telephone poles, rock faces, stanchions or any suitable support.

The intermediate support may have a straight angle or possess a curve (FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 14). The support cable (wr) may pass over a curved support (FIGS. 4, 5, cs), or sheave (15, sh) where it enters the intermediate support (is). The curved support and sheave reduces strain on the support cable (wr). The cable then passes downward toward the floor of the intermediate support (FIGS. 13, 5, is) where it passes through a hole (h).

Another configuration for an intermediate support (FIG. 14), and others can be easily envisioned, passes the cable over a sheave, which can rotate to minimize abrasion to the support cable. From there the support cable (wr) is connected in a standard manner to an anchor in the ground, trees, and/or any suitable natural or artificial structure. When the cable (wr) forms the top portion of the rail (FIGS. 6, 10, 11) it may be held in place by a pin (pin) that inserts into the cable. The threaded end of the pin is attached by a nut (n) to the bottom edge of the rail.

The preferred configuration of a cableway will be a closed circuit or loop where the visitor returns to the starting point (FIG. 1). Several closed circuits may exist where an appropriate rail device allows trolleys to transfer to one of these separate closed loops. The mention of the preferred closed loop configuration does not preclude cableway configurations that do not form a closed loop.

The trolley may possess a single wheel (FIG. 10), since a single-wheel trolley can make tighter turns, although more than one wheel may be advantageous in some configurations. Trolleys may have many configurations. Two of these configurations, a single wheel (FIG. 12) and double wheel (FIGS. 7, 8) are depicted.

The preferred embodiment of the trolley will possess an electric brake (eb) and hand brake (hb) such as used on motor cycles or bicycles and/or a centrifugal brake (cb). The centrifugal brake, hand brake, and electric brake is not described. Embodiments of the applicant's cableway can be designed as a continuous downhill run and may not possess a speed-limiting device. This embodiment differs from other elevated cableways, such as ziplines in that it has passable intermediate supports. This does not infringe upon other systems such as (Albrict and Marvin) that are elevated rails, nor is the Anderson cableway designed for downhill use.

My trolley and cableway possess locks to the cable and the intermittent support to prevent the trolley from leaving the cableway during operation. The trolley (FIGS. 7, 8) may have a Rosada-like cable lock (FIG. 11, Ro) with many potential positions and shapes. A mechanism and shape for the gate opening mechanism (go) is described by Rosada. The preferred embodiment of the lock on the intermediate support (FIGS. 6, 5, 9) is a channel (ch) that prevents the trolley from lifting off the rail (r). (Other mechanisms can achieve the same function). The two locks function as follows. Upon arrival at an intermediate support, the anterior trolley lock (FIG. 7 atl) is aligned by a guide flange (FIG. 6, fl) located on the intermediate support channel (ch). It then slides into the channel (ch) preventing the trolley (t) from jumping off the railway (r). Subsequently, the Rosada gate (FIG. 10, g) is pushed open by an extension (FIGS. 4, 5, go) of the leading portion of the rail (r) of the intermediate support. With the gate open the trolley can roll off the cable (wr) and onto the rail(r). Upon leaving the rail to roll on the cable (wr), the Rosada gate closes before the posterior support lock (FIGS. 7, 8, psl) passes out of the channel (ch). The sequence of engagement and disengagement of the locks assures that the trolley will remain positively connected to the cableway at all times during operation.

The function of the rear stabilization, caster-type wheel (cw) (FIGS. 7, 8) is to reduce forward and aft rocking of the trolley as it passively follows the cableway. It is not necessary that this be a wheel. It could be a skid or low-friction device. Two pins, gives free movement to the caster-wheel support arm (csa). This simple double hinge (dh) mechanism allows the support arm to move freely laterally at turns in the cableway. This shortens the wheel base and allows the trolley to make smaller radius turns. It is possible the castor-wheel support arm needs to also hinge in the vertical direction for improved function.

Powered trolleys (FIGS. 7, 8) may possess a chain drive (FIG. 14,cd) and pedals (FIG. 3, p) and/or at least one electric motor (em) and/or fuel engine (not shown). These components will come from the marketplace and therefore are not diagramed. The preferred embodiment (FIG. 14) attaches the electric motor-transmission-brake component designed for wheel chairs directly to the axle (ax) of the drive wheel, but the motor may be positioned in other locations depending on the design of the undercarriage. Some electric motors are built into wheel hubs. Such a motor would significantly alter where the motor was mounted and the appearance of the trolley, which is not shown since straightforward modifications such as those experienced in the art can easily envision are not shown. A pedal sprocket (ps) for a chain drive is connected to the undercarriage in a position that best conforms to the size and number of passengers. This too is not specifically described as a number of configurations and combinations are possible that those knowledgeable in the art would be able to construct depending upon the intended use by the operator. Suggestions of several general configurations are as follows (FIGS. 2, and 3): suspension of the passenger in a harness in a sitting or prone position, a reclining chair (as in a reclining bicycle), an upright chair (as on chairlifts with two or more seats), a carriage (as on the rain forest aerial tram), a conveyance that holds a wheelchair securely and/or standing people. The undercarriage of any embodiment may be free to hang straight down by way of a hinge connection to the chassis of the trolley.

One skilled in nature observation, eco tourism, and cableway businesses and the art of cableway fabrication could quickly conceive of countless variations on all of these cited forms of the invention, including its components which are offered as examples only, and are not to be construed as limitations to the scope of this invention. 

1. An elevated cableway system for personal conveyance therealong, said system including: a plurality of spaced cable supports defining the system configuration, said cable supports each including a cable support station elevated above ground; stationary cable connected to said supports and extending in a continuous closed loop along said system configuration from one support station to another, thereby forming a cableway path along said system; a trolley including a drive wheel pulley in rolling engagement on said cable for movement therealong; a passenger carriage suspended from said trolley for movement therewith along said cable and around said loop; and drive means, operable from said passenger carriage, to drive said trolley along said stationary cable.
 2. A system as defined in claim 1, in which said drive means is a passenger-operated pedal and chain mechanism operatively connected to said trolley.
 3. A system as defined in claim 1, in which said drive means is an electric motor operatively connected to said trolley.
 4. A system as defined in claim 1, in which said drive means is an internal combustion engine operatively connected to said trolley.
 5. A system as defined in claim 1, further including clutch means, operable from said passenger carriage, to releasably lock said drive wheel to said cable.
 6. A system as defined in claim 1, further including brake means, operable from said passenger carriage, to reduce trolley speed on said cable.
 7. A system as defined in claim 1, said cable including a plurality of cable sections joined together at said cable support stations for continuity of said loop, said cable support stations adapted to change direction of said cableway path.
 8. A system as defined in claim 1, including a plurality of said trolleys drivable along said cable independently of each other.
 9. A system as defined in claim 1 where the intermediate support(s) allow a tight turn.
 10. An elevated cableway system for personal conveyance therealong, said system including: a plurality of spaced cable supports defining the system configuration, said cable supports each including a cable support station elevated above ground; stationary cable connected to said supports and extending in a continuous closed loop along said system configuration from one support station to another, thereby forming a cableway path along said system; a trolley including a drive wheel pulley in rolling engagement on said cable for movement therealong; a passenger carriage suspended from said trolley for movement therewith along said cable and around said loop; drive means, operable from said passenger carriage, to drive said trolley along said stationary cable; said system including plural interconnected loops of said cable for separate cableway paths for trolley travel.
 11. A system as defined in claim 10, in which said drive means is a passenger-operated pedal and chain mechanism operatively connected to said trolley.
 12. A system as defined in claim 10, in which said drive means is an electric motor operatively connected to said trolley.
 13. A system as defined in claim 10, in which said drive means is an internal combustion engine operatively connected to said trolley.
 14. A system as defined in claim 10, further including clutch means, operable from said passenger carriage, to releasably lock said drive wheel to said cable.
 15. A system as defined in claim 10, further including brake means, operable from said passenger carriage, to reduce trolley speed on said cable.
 16. A system as defined in claim 10, said cable including a plurality of cable sections joined together at said cable support stations for continuity of said loop, said cable support stations adapted to change direction of said cableway path.
 17. A system as defined in claim 10, including a plurality of said trolleys drivable along said cable independently of each other.
 18. A system as defined in claim 10 where the intermediate support(s) allow a tight turn. 